A senior Lincolnshire Eurosceptic Tory MP has called attempts to unseat Theresa May “counterproductive and “demeaning”.

Sir Edward Leigh, MP for Gainsborough, a constituency which includes Market Rasen and East Lindsey, has confirmed he is not one of the rebels seeking a no confidence vote on the prime minister’s leadership – despite his opposition to her Brexit deal.

In fact, the MP of 35 years standing spoke against Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the influential anti-EU European Research Group (ERG), when the North East Somerset MP proposed submitting no confidence letters on Thursday, November 15.

If 48 letters of no confidence from MPs are sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, then a vote will be called. In total, 22 MPs have publicly confirmed they have sent a letter to Sir Graham, with the ERG suggesting they are nearing the 48 required.

But Sir Edward has taken a different view to his constituency neighbour and former campaign manager, Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers, who has confirmed he is one of those to have called for Mrs May to be replaced.

Sir Edward Leigh, MP for Gainsborough, does not support holding a confidence vote

Speaking to the Grimsby Telegraph, Sir Edward said: “I have not put in a letter and I’m not going to.

“I think these are very important matters and if we are going to attack the deal, we need to do so on its merits or demerits rather than make it personal.

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“I do not know what a leadership vote would achieve. It is not my style, it is demeaning, potentially disloyal and, who could do better?”

The former Maastricht treaty rebel said any confidence vote would be “counterproductive” as it was likely to give Mrs May another year in office. If the PM won a confidence vote, then Tory Party rules dictate that she cannot be challenge for another 12 months.

“She would almost definitely win, so it is counterproductive,” he said. “It would mean there could not be another leadership contest for a year and she would be safe.”

Theresa May is under fire after the publication of her Brexit plan this week

Despite his comments, the ex-trade and industry minister said he still wanted the deal to fail as he feared the backstop arrangements in the withdrawal agreement could end up being permanent.

The backstop is the PM’s agreement for the UK to stay in a customs union with the EU after Brexit in order to prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland if trade talks are not completed before the transition period ends.

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Under the withdrawal agreement, both the UK and the EU will have to jointly agree that the future relationship will not result in a hard border in Ireland – a part of the draft plan Sir Edward said he could not accept.

The 68-year-old said: “There is no way you could get a completely frictionless border – that is a myth anyway. We should never have agreed to this backstop.

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“The only way you get rid of the backstop is by staying in a customs union and that is what the EU keep saying and that is what Labour wants. The PM says she never wants to use it but it is inevitable the backstop will be used.

“I want the deal to be defeated, unless it is improved upon and there is some proper binding commitment that the backstop will end on a certain date.”

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Mrs May, despite having the threat of a looming confidence vote hanging over her, appointed a new Brexit secretary and work and pensions secretary on Friday, following Dominic Raab and Esther McVey’s respective walkouts in the wake of the Brexit deal being agreed by Cabinet.

Former home secretary Amber Rudd will take up the work and pensions post, while Stephen Barclay, a relatively unknown leave-voting health minister, has been promoted to Brexit secretary.

Downing Street has confirmed that while Mr Barclay will carry out domestic preparations for Brexit, it will be Mrs May who takes charge of the final negotiations.